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helpful explanation of what Paul meant by the phrase, “I am debtor both to
the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise, and to the unwise.”
A. The explanation for Paul’s burden: Why did he feel indebted
Every Christian is grateful for his or her salvation. None of us feel that
we deserved to be saved or in any way could earn our salvation. It is truly a
gift of grace (Eph. 2:8-10). We know and feel our debt to Christ. We owe
Him everything! I had no trouble understanding and feeling this truth. It is
this next statement that greatly helped me: “Debt to the Christ who died
involves debt to them for whom Christ died.” That one sentence changed my
understanding of what it means to have a “burden” for the lost. Being a
“debtor” (i.e., having a “burden”) is not primarily a feeling. Rather, it is
embracing the concept that we are not saved in a vacuum. We are saved so
that we can share the Good News with others. This is what Christ wants us
to understand. We are saved so we can tell others of the Christ of Calvary.
B. The extent of Paul’s burden: To whom did he feel indebted
When Paul speaks of being debtor to “the Greeks, and to the
Barbarians,” he is speaking of all races—those who lived where Greek was
spoken and those who lived outside the geographical boundaries and influence
of Greek culture and language. The “wise and the unwise” speaks of
all ranks—those educated and those not privileged with education. Jesus
died for them all, and debt to Him who died involves debt to them for
whom He died. Understanding this, I could echo with Paul, “I, too, am
debtor.” In other words, “I do have a burden for the lost.”
II. A SOUL-WINNER MUST BE BOLD IN SHARING CHRIST: “I am
ready…. I am not ashamed” (Rom. 1:15–16)
“I’m not comfortable sharing my faith with people I don’t know.” “I’m
afraid of saying the wrong thing.” “What if my mind goes blank!” “I just
don’t know what to say.” These are a few of the intense thoughts and feelings
people like me have when they think about soul-winning. The only
way I know to get past these barriers is to do what Paul did.
A. He equipped himself to know how to share Christ.
The reason Paul could say that he was ready to share the Gospel
(Rom. 1:15) with the people in Rome was because he had made the
necessary personal preparation. That is what he means by the statement
“so as much as in me is.” This means that we must do more than pray
for the lost. We must learn how to share Jesus with others. The term
“ready” speaks of an eager desire. It involves more than an momentary
emotional stir.
B. He experienced the power of the Gospel.
Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16), because it had powerfully
transformed his life. What is the Gospel It is the Good News about
Jesus—His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection, and His love for all
people. Paul found the courage to share it with others because he was thoroughly
convinced that the Gospel itself is “the power of God unto salvation!”
It had changed his life. It had broken the chains of sin that had
enslaved him and had made him miserable (Rom. 7:14, 25). In like manner,
it can change the life of the worst sinner. It is a sufficient Gospel: “to
everyone … to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” It is a simple Gospel
offered “to every one that believeth.”
Equipping himself to know how to share Christ and personally experiencing
the power of the gospel contributed to Paul’s boldness in sharing
Jesus with others.
III. A SOUL-WINNER MUST HAVE A BIBLICALLY BASED BELIEF ABOUT
HOW MANKIND BECOMES RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES: “therein is
the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17)
A. Paul’s belief was based on a revelation from God about how to
become righteous in God’s eyes. “For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17a). The reason the Gospel is God’s
saving power is that in it God’s righteousness is revealed. The phrase “righteousness
of God” (dikaiosune theo) has traditionally been interpreted in at
least three ways:
1. Some say this refers to God’s divine attribute, that is, His personal
righteousness. In other words, the “righteousness of God” is God’s personal
character together with his actions (which are in keeping with His character).
In Romans, God’s personal righteousness is supremely seen in the
cross of Christ. When God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement, He
did it “to demonstrate his justice” (dikaiosune, i.e., righteousness, Rom.
3:25, repeated in 3:26), and in order that He might be both “just”(righteous)
and the “one who justifies” (i.e., declares righteous) those who have
saving faith in Jesus (3:26b). Throughout Romans, Paul is careful to defend
the righteous character and behavior of God. Paul is convinced that whatever
God does –in salvation (3:25) or in judgment (2:5)—is absolutely consistent
with His righteousness. 1
2. Others say the term refers to God’s divine activity – His saving
intervention on behalf of His people. God’s “salvation” and His “righteousness”
are frequently coupled in the parallelism of Hebrew poetry. For
example, “the LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness
to the nations” (Ps. 98:2; cf. 51:14; 65:5; 71:2, 15; 143:11).
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